Parliamentary questions

Margo MacDonald

393 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

3 Feb 2010 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, given the statements in the BREEAM reports that domestic hot water in the Parliament building would be provided by solar panels backed up by gas-fired water heaters, what the percentage split of provision has been in each of the last five years.

Answer · Alex Johnstone: The solar panels were used to pre-heat hot water in Queensberry House and the Canongate buildings exclusively. The solar panels were not designed or intended to be used to heat water else where in the Parliament. The solar panels may have contribute…

3 Feb 2010 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the environmental features are in the Parliament building and what percentage reduction of energy usage they contribute.

Answer · Alex Johnstone: The Scottish Parliament has a number of environmental features including natural ventilation, energy efficient lighting including LED''s, borehole water serving the toilets and a combined heat and power plant (CHP). These features serve to reduce energy use a…

3 Feb 2010 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, given the potential additional energy costs associated with wrongly rated energy performance certificates, what its position is on the ability of commercial organisations to rely on the accuracy of information in building energy performance certificates when making dec…

Answer · Alex Johnstone: The energy rating contained in the Energy Performance Certificate has been produced in accordance with The Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008 approved by this Parliament. It is not for the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Bo…

3 Feb 2010 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what percentage of its future maintenance costs will need to be used to upgrade the building to reduce overall energy consumption.

Answer · Alex Johnstone: A Carbon Management Plan is currently being developed in conjunction with The Carbon Trust. As part of the Carbon Management Plan costs have been estimated and budgetary provision is available for 2010-11 to undertake energy efficiency improvements. <p…

3 Feb 2010 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the reason is for the assessment of the energy usage of the Parliament building for 2007-08 being twice the figure on its energy performance certificate.

Answer · Alex Johnstone: The Energy Performance Certificate contains an asset energy rating in accordance with The Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008. The rating on the certificate is not a predicted usage rating. The Parliament is used for an ext…

3 Feb 2010 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, in light of the figure for the energy usage of the Parliament in 2007-08 being approximately 300kWh/m2 as derived from figures appearing in its environmental annual report and energy performance certificate, when it plans to have its energy performance certificate reas…

Answer · Alex Johnstone: In accordance with The Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008 the Energy Performance Certificate is valid for 10 years.

3 Feb 2010 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether the figure for the approximate current energy use per m2 of floor area in the Parliament’s energy performance certificate is based on theoretical models of the potential performance of the building.

Answer · Alex Johnstone: Yes. This has been calculated in accordance with the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008.

18 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the responses it has received from local authorities to requests by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning to make St Andrew’s Day a school holiday.

Answer · Michael Russell: Ten responses to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning''s letters of 23 January and 6 November 2009 to education conveners asking them to consider making St Andrew''s Day a school holiday are available from the Scottish Parliament''s Infor…

18 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities recognise St Andrew’s Day by making it a school holiday.

Answer · Keith Brown: This year St Andrew''s Day was a school holiday in Angus, Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders and Renfrewshire. Aberdeen City Council, although not designating St Andrew''s Day an official school holiday, had an in-service day on 30 November to allow pupi…

18 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what public sector employers recognise St Andrew’s Day as a holiday.

Answer · Michael Russell: Alongside the Scottish Parliament and Angus Council, the Scottish Government and those agencies which make up its main bargaining unit give their employees St Andrew''s Day as a bank holiday. Angus, Renfrewshire, Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders Cou…

18 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the recognition of St Andrew’s Day as a holiday in the (a) public and (b) private sector.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is committed to marking St Andrew''s Day as a national day. Like the Parliament and Angus Council, Scottish Government staff have been given St Andrew''s Day as a bank holiday. It is for individual employers to decide whether …

18 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to increase recognition of St Andrew’s Day as a holiday in the (a) public and (b) private sector.

Answer · Michael Russell: As in previous years, the Scottish Government, along with other partners, are hosting St Andrew''s Day events across Scotland. There are over 40 events taking place, from the family focused St Andrew''s Do in the capital and Homecoming Live in Glasgow, to the…

12 Nov 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to submit evidence to the Home Office to assist in its deliberations on the possible reclassification of drugs.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) reserves the classification of drugs to the UK Parliament. Scottish Government officials keep in regular contact with the Home Office and other UK government departments regarding reserved drugs policy. We are also act…

27 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been under the Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Act 2009, in relation to (a) disability, (b) sexual orientation and (c) transgender identity.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Act 2009 received Royal Assent on 8 July 2009, but the provisions of the act have not yet been commenced. The Crown Office and other criminal justice agencies are currently preparing guidance and updating the…

8 Oct 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it shares the Prime Minister’s vision of supervised homes for poor, young unmarried mothers.

Answer · Alex Neil: This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor1008-01.htm">http://www.scott…

1 Oct 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will be in a position to outline its plan for the extension of outdoor education places for secondary schools pupils.

Answer · Keith Brown: We are working with the Outdoor Learning Strategic Advisory Group, Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) and others to produce a framework for outdoor learning together with a supporting web resource by spring 2010. The framework will provide advice on outdoor…

15 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies or countries have intimated their intention to discontinue doing business with Scotland or Scottish companies following the Cabinet Secretary for Justice’s decision to release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi on compassionate grounds.

Answer · Michael Russell: Emails have been sent to the Scotland.org website by two companies intimating their intention to discontinue doing business with Scotland. Both companies are unknown to Scottish Development International and do not appear to have undertaken any business in Sc…

20 Aug 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will be in a position to provide a substantive answer to question S3W-24910, lodged on 16 June 2009 and due for answer on 14 July 2009.

Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24910, on 25 August 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/App…

14 Aug 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-22499 by Shona Robison on 31 March 2009, what progress has been made in developing a policy on exercise on prescription.

Answer · Shona Robison: Further to my earlier response on the 31 March the guidance Energising Lives that was published as part of phase one has been disseminated to all GP surgeries and featured in professional journals, this will be supported by workshops for trainers late…

22 Jul 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the possible side effects are from taking the influenza A (H1N1) vaccine.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: All vaccinations can produce side effects such as soreness and swelling at the site of the injection. The H1N1 vaccines are not live and so cannot cause flu. Some vaccines, including vaccines similar to the swine flu vaccine, can cause flu-like symptoms but t…

22 Jul 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the influenza A (H1N1) vaccine being developed will be capable of combating any mutations in the virus.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There may be some protection conferred to those vaccinated with the influenza A (H1N1) vaccine against future mutations in the virus, however it is not possible to estimate what mutations may occur and therefore it is not possible to know with any certainty w…

22 Jul 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the influenza A (H1N1) vaccine that will be made available in the United Kingdom is the same one as will be available in other countries.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Both vaccine manufacturers that are providing vaccine to the UK have contracts in place to provide vaccine to a number of other countries. The vaccines being purchased for the UK are being considered for licensing by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (…

16 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-31268 by Margaret Curran on 5 February 2007, whether it will provide a breakdown of the joint ministerial (a) committee and (b) sub-committee meetings held since January 2007, including attendees.

Answer · Michael Russell: Since January 2007, there has been one meeting of the joint ministerial committee (plenary), two meetings of the joint ministerial committee (domestic) and nine meetings of the joint ministerial committee (Europe). The list of attendees at each meeti…

11 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of reports produced by TES Scotland showing only 39.5% of probationers finding permanent posts in the current academic year compared with 51.3% in the previous year, whether it plans to introduce different measures to avoid unemployment amongst teachers.

Answer · Keith Brown: Teacher employment is a matter for local authorities. Local authorities employ teachers on a range of contract types including temporary and part-time contracts. The General Teachers Council Scotland survey of April 2009 on which the TES Scotland report was b…

10 Jun 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is monitoring local authorities through single outcome agreements to ensure that they continue to commit to providing high quality sports facilities, as detailed in Reaching Higher, the national strategy for sport.

Answer · Shona Robison : This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0618-01.htm">http://www.scot…

20 May 2009 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will consider releasing and exhibiting Enric Miralles’s original authenticated drawings, designs and plans for the Parliament building as part of the celebrations to mark 10 years of the Parliament.

Answer · Tricia Marwick: A wide range of information relating to the development of the building design including Enric Miralles'' sketches is already exhibited on the Parliament''s website. The SPCB agreed in 2008 that the 10th anniversary of the Scottish Parliament shoul…

23 Apr 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to respond to the recent report by the Care Commission, Better care every step of the way.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon : This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0430-01.htm">http://www.scott…

15 Apr 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its approach is to preventing further contraction in Scottish broadcasting and print media.

Answer · Michael Russell : This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0423-01.htm">http://www.scott…

31 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered a reduced entry fee scheme to gyms at non-peak hours for people over 60.

Answer · Shona Robison: We are aware that subsidised access to leisure facilities, including gyms for particular groups including the over 60s is provided locally across Scotland. For example Edinburgh have a leisure card for the over 60s which for a one off cost of £15 allows the h…

31 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider supporting free gym access for people over 60 with health problems who previously accessed an exercise referral scheme.

Answer · Shona Robison: As you will be aware the recommendations for physical activity in adults of all ages are half an hour of moderate activity per day. This can be accumulated throughout the day, and can almost always be achieved without the use of any special equipment, for exa…